For the past few months, I had been pondering ear scalpelling. My ears had settled at 5/8ths (of an inch) and I was having no luck stretching them any further. The tissue was getting thin and I was terrified I was going to tear it.
At A Glance Author Liz Contact pixxieblue@hotmail.com When A week ago Artist Scott Studio Penna Body Piercing Location Halifax So, having just moved to a large city, I figured now would be a great time to go visit my friendly neighborhood piercer, Scott.
I went to see him and told him what I was hoping for. A scalpelling to take my ears from 5/8ths up to The One Inch.
He looked at my ears, which had just been stretched from 1/2 to 5/8ths a few weeks previous and told me to give them about another month. He said for me to stop in every once and awhile so he could check my ears out, see how they were healing, etc.
So, after the longest four weeks of my entire life, I went back to see him. He said that it wouldn't be a problem and that I could set up an appointment whenever I wished. I got one for a week later.
Pure excitement until that Wednesday came.
I got up the morning of my scalpelling, completely enthused. I had to wallow through class all day with my mind preoccupied with how awesome my ears would look later that night.
Then finally 3 o'clock roles around and it's time to go.
I get to the studio. Scott's there with one of his friends to take pictures (they're in the scalpelling section on BME).
He sits me down and starts clearing my ears up. At this point my stomach is flip flopping all over the place. He starts taking out the jewelery, a ruler and other equipment. Finally he takes out the scalpel itself. Perhaps one of the most intimidating things I have ever seen.
He marks my ears and washes them down. Then he puts on plastic gloves, plastic arm sleeves and a mask.
I'm officially scared. I wonder, "Why does he need all that? Am I going to squirt blood all over the place?"
Now, I looked over every scalpelling picture I could get my hands on before deciding to do this, but nothing prepared me for the blood I was about to expunge.
He decided to start with my left ear. I have a blow out on that lobe that just won't bug off, so he thought it'd be best to start with the difficult one.
He clamped it and I started to take deep breaths, trying to get myself into a meditative state of mind. He told me that he was ready whenever I was so I said, "Go!" and let out the longest most deepest breath of my entire life.
ENTRANCE! The scalpelled pierced my ear, once and then twice. The cut was made! 3/8ths of an inch long.
It was intense (to say the least). I felt the blood running down my neck and into my hair. Scott got the jewelery and put it in.
Well, saying that he just 'put it in' is quite the understatement. He forced and pushed and pulled that tunnel in until I felt my lobe was actually going to rip off. He even remarked, "Wow, you've got tough ear lobes!"
So, one ear done. I was a little woozy and very shaky (but the photographer seemed to be a tad more queazy than I, which made me feel better.)
Scott told me to take a break before we did the other one b/c I think I was on the verge of passing out. During this time, I drank some water, moped up some blood which was soaking into my jacket and tried not to faint.
So, ten minutes later, I find myself laying down on my other side with my ear clamped. I figure that I could take it. I made it this far and I was by NO means walking out of there with one ear scalpelled. I'm a tough chick.... right?
I gave him the go ahead and he cut. Once... twice.... done.
Oh wait, no... he wasn't! He tried to get the jewelery in but the hole was just a teeny tiny bit too small. He had to make another little slice, this time on my clamp-free lobe. Boy, I've never appreciated that little metal thing until now.
After another shot, he told me that he was going to have to cut a tad bit more. (Damn ear!)
So, eventually, after three or four "tiny" cuts (*enter me grabbing the window sill in pain*), he forced the jewelery through. During those little cuts, he reached for three or four of those plastic blue bibs. All of which I quickly bled through, right through to the table, in fact. I'm telling you, nothing can really prepare you for the amount of blood you're going to see originating from a tiny slice in your ear.
I won't pretend that I made it through the whole experience okay because by the third tiny cut he made, I was in tears. I was bawling like a baby. The photographer actually came over and held my hand while he cut little chunks of my ear away.
So, an hour and fifteen minutes later, my ears were scalpelled, my eyes were red with tears and my hair beautifully matted with blood.
This was about a week ago and my ears are healing up pretty well, too. Except for the smell the tunnels seem to project and the awkward intervals my ears decide to bleed. All of which are lessening as the days go by.
In closing, my ear scalpelling was a very positive experience. Despite the troubles we had and the amount of blood I lost, I learned a lot about myself and the end result was definitely worth it.
Not to mention, Scott said I was 'one tough girl'.